Although many people think of homework as doing more harm than good by causing copious amounts of unnecessary stress to everyone, others believe that it has great advantages for children by encouraging them to think more independently outside the classroom.

Your first grader is in the middle of a tea party with six of her stuffed animals. It seems to be going well, despite a recent argument between the stuffed giraffe and his zebra stepbrother. You are enjoying eavesdropping on the dialogue as you clean up the dinner dishes, but it’s time for homework. You dutifully get your child set up at her study spot and redirect her attention to a worksheet of math facts. “I hate homework!” she wails, after an hour of struggle and avoidance. Exhausted and frustrated, you are inclined to agree with her.

And, believe me, I really do understand the value of homework. As a math teacher, I firmly believe students need to practice on their own, and homework is a great way for them to see if they can solve problems on their own without the teacher’s help.

Homework - do you love it or hate it? Parents, educators and early childhood experts seem to fall into two very distinct camps on the topic of homework. However you feel, homework is bound to be a part of your child’s school life.

Sometimes parents want to help their children with homework but may not know the "right" way or newest way of doing it, which could be counterproductive to getting it done correctly. Why do teachers believe that homework is so important? Is it really important at all? Do teachers believe that whatever they teach is so extraordinary that students must continue to work on assignments at home as well as school? Or, are administrators making top-down decisions that homework must be a part of a student's nightly practice? Is homework being used to teach students time management techniques? Whatever the reason,...